Journalpaper

Modifications of the spin density wave of Cr in Fe/Cr multilayers by insertion of Sn studied by neutron diffraction

Abstract

Recently, the magnetic properties of chromium in Fe/Cr multilayers were studied with Mössbauer spectroscopy by inserting a tin monolayer in the chromium. Complementary neutron-diffraction studies on Fe/Cr(t) and Fe/Cr(t/2)/Sn(2 Å)/Cr(t/2) multilayers with t=80 and 160 Å are presented here. The Fe/Cr multilayers behave as previously observed, however the samples with tin deviate from these trends. These deviations are more prominent in the Fe/Cr/Sn/Cr multilayer with t=80 Å. Instead of an incommensurate to commensurate spin-density-wave (SDW) transition with increasing temperature (T) as seen without tin, a dominant commensurate component is observed at low T transforming to an incommensurate phase at higher T. The general SDW behaviour of chromium in Fe/Cr multilayers seems to be changed significantly by the insertion of Sn, allowing the tailoring of magnetic properties of Fe/Cr systems in a new way.
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